Salted Caramel Macarons with Homemade Caramel

Step 1

Prepare: Begin with getting your egg whites to room temperature for a day**. Also, use a glass or metallic bowl, because the meringue cannot mix with fat, and there's often a greasy layer on plastic bowls.

Step 2

Dry ingredients: Next, mix almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor for a few seconds, sift this into a new bowl.

Step 3

Make merignue: In a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip the egg whites (in a glass or metallic bowl) until frothy, then gradually add the sugar 1 tbsp at the time, until you get a gooey meringue with stiff peaks that will not droop. No need for food coloring here!

Step 4

Macaronage: Fold the egg white mixture with the almond flour mixture using a spatula until it's smooth, shiny and flowing, known as macaronage. The batter should be runny and shiny, and flowing slowly off the spatula. Test the batter by making ribbons in the batter and the ribbons should sink into the batter after 10 seconds or so.

Step 5

Pipe it: Prepare a piping bag with a round tip. Add the batter. On parchment lined baking sheet, pipe macarons by keeping the tip still and just pipe in a still motion. I made circles on a parchment paper to keep as a reference underneath.

Step 6

Let them rest: Take the tray and carefully drop it onto the tabletop to release any air bubbles. You should do this a couple of times. Let the macarons rest for 30 minutes before baking. This will give them a film that will make a crunchy top and forces the macarons to rise up instead of out during baking and will give the macaron its 'feet'.

Step 7

Bake: Pre-heat oven to 300F (150C). Bake for about 18 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. They should be easily removed from the parchment paper.

Step 8

Preparations: Begin with measuring all your ingredients. Take out a light bottomed saucepan, much larger than you think you will need.

Step 9

Add sugar and water to the saucepan: Add sugar and water to the saucepan. Over medium high heat (on my stove it was 10 out of 14), stir the sugar with a wooden spoon until it dissolves. But stop stirring immediately when the sugar begins to bubble or the chances for crystallization increases dramatically.

Step 10

To amber color: Let the sugar bubble until it reaches an amber color and smells nutty. For me it's around 7 minutes, but it will depend a little on your stove.

Step 11

Add the other ingredients while constantly whisking: Remove the saucepan from the heat. In a slow stream, while whisking, add in the heavy cream. Then add in the butter, one tablespoon at the time. Constantly whisk, and add the next tbsp once it's melted. Then add the vanilla, and finally the salt.

Step 12

Cool: Let the salted caramel cool in a jar or bowl. It will thicken as it cools.

Step 13

Assemble and cool: Once the caramel has cooled for about 5-10 minutes, add 1/2 tsp-1 tsp to the bottom side of one macaron, sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt and quickly add the other macaron cookie and place them on a plate in the fridge. Do this with all, and keep them in the fridge until ready to be eaten.

Step 14

Eat: Take the Salted Caramel Macarons out 5-10 minutes before eating to make them even more delicious and creamy.